1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lighting attachments for trailers and vehicles and more particularly, to a rewind trailer light connector which is connected to the bumper, frame or trailer hitch of a towing vehicle in one embodiment and utilized to connect conventional trailer lights to the vehicle while the trailer is towed by the vehicle. Alternatively, the rewind trailer light connector can be secured to the trailer and a plug or receptacle component extended from the housing for connection to a mating plug or receptacle in the vehicle wiring assembly while the trailer is being towed.
Cars, trucks and other vehicles are frequently used to pull trailers of various description and it is necessary for safety purposes to interconnect the brake lights, turn signal indicators and running lights of the towing vehicle with the corresponding lights on the trailer. Various types of wiring harness configurations and interconnecting means are used to achieve this purpose, typically including a wiring plug attached to the trailer wiring harness and a corresponding socket or receptacle secured to the vehicle wiring system.
A common problem realized in installation of wiring harness for towing vehicles for the purpose of attaching the wiring harness to corresponding trailer wiring when towing a trailer, is that of securing the vehicle wiring harness plug or receptacle in a convenient location when the trailer is disconnected from the vehicle. These wiring harness are typically fitted with male or female plugs or receptacles which usually dangle or trail behind the vehicle as the vehicle is operated when a trailer is not attached to the trailer hitch. The plug or receptacle is therefore frequently damaged by contact with the road surface or the frame of the towing vehicle while travelling and detracts from the overall streamlining and positive esthetic appearance of the towing vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Attempts to minimize or elimnate the damage due to trailing plugs or receptacles attached to the ends of wiring harnesses in vehicle includes wrapping the wiring around the trailer hitch or otherwise shortening the length of the wiring harness adjacent to the plug or receptacle to prevent the plug or receptacle from being damaged by contact with the road or the vehicle. These attempts frequently cause the wiring to crimp or stretch, sometimes making it inoperative. At best, the randomly dangling plug or receptacle also presents an unsightly appearance.
The use of extension cords retractively mounted in housings has proved to be a convenient technique for storing extended lengths of cord and facilitating use of the cord at selected distances from the housing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,078, dated Jun. 4, 1974, to Nicolas W. Fedrick, details a "Retractable Extension Cord Unit" of this design. The retractable extension cord unit includes a small housing within which the cord can be stored. The housing is formed from two relatively rotatable members, the rotation of which enables selected extension or retraction of the cord. A "Ready Stored Power Cord" is detailed in U.S. Pat, No. 3,920,308, dated Nov. 18, 1975, to Harry C. Murray. The device includes a cord spool slidably arranged in a receptacle for movement between a position in which the spool is entirely within the receptacle, to a position in which the spool is out of the receptacle. Multiple spools, each provided with an associated power cord, may be arranged in a single receptacle. Electrical sockets are connected to the cords and are removably mountable in associated apertures provided in a cover which is pivotally mounted on the receptacle and functions as an electrical outlet cover plate when the cover is in a position blocking communication with the receptacle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,952, dated Feb. 8, 1977, to William E. Puckett, details a "Battery Jump Cable Apparatus". The apparatus is designed to transfer power from the battery of a service vehicle to the battery of a second vehicle and utilizes a spring-loaded reel for storing the jumper cables in the service vehicle. One of the cables is permanently connected to the frame of the service vehicle and the other cable is permanently connected to the positive terminal of the battery in the service vehicle. A "Retractable Booster Cable Device" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,833, dated Mar. 31, 1987, to Donald A. Czubernat, et al. The device includes a container which rotatably supports a spool by means of two spool end walls. The spool is divided into two substantially equal portions by a divider wall intermediate the end walls. A twin element cable passes through the hollow center of the spool, extends through each spool portion and exits the container through exits in each end thereof. The cable is centered such that substantially equal lengths extend from both exits. A deployed cable is stowed by rotating the spool in a first direction and the cable is deployed from a stowed position by simultaneously pulling both ends of the cable from the container, causing the spool to rotate in the second direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,697, dated Jul. 11, 1989, to E. Walter Rogers details a "Cable for Interconnecting Lighting Systems of Towing Vehicle and Trailer". The patent details a universal wiring connection cord for interconnecting various types of wiring sockets that are interconnected with the electrical lighting system of a towing vehicle to various types of wiring plugs that may be interconnected with the electrical lighting system of a trailer. The device includes a central cable housing having a number of stranded electrical wires bundled therein. The bundled electric wires extend from a first end of the central cable and are provided with electrical connectors adapted to be engaged with the electrical terminals housed within the wiring socket mounted to the towing vehicle. The ends of the wires extend from the first end of the central cable and are free to move with respect to one another, in order to be positioned in the pin-out pattern of the wiring socket. Electrical wires also extend from the opposing second end of the central cable and are provided with electrical connectors adapted to engage terminals housed in the wiring plug mounted to the trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,427, dated Jul. 10, 1990, to Linnea Pierson, details an "Electrical Trailer Connector Retainer". The retainer is designed for use with an electrical wire connector of the type commonly used to provide electrical connection of a trailer device to the electrical system of a towing vehicle. The retainer is mountable either on the bumper of the towing vehicle or the tongue of the trailer device and permits the electrical wire connector, used for transferring electrical power to the trailer from the electrical supply system of the towing vehicle, to be safely and conveniently stowed or retained when not in use and readily available for electrical connection when needed.
It is an object of this invention to provide a rewind trailer light connector system for retractably interconnecting the electrical lighting system of a towing vehicle and the electrical lighting system of a trailer to be towed.
Another object of this invention is to provide a rewind trailer light connector which serves to interconnect a spring-loaded wiring connector wired into the electrical lighting system of a towing vehicle to a wiring plug interconnected with the electrical lighting system of a trailer, wherein wiring coiled in the wiring connector is selectively extended and rewound as it is alternately connected and disconnected from the electrical lighting system of the trailer.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a rewind trailer light connector having a housing which may be installed either on a towing vehicle or on a trailer to interconnect wiring connections on the trailer and vehicle and rewind the wiring connection on the trailer or vehicle into the housing, thereby preventing damage to the plug or receptable attached to the wiring which is rewound in the housing.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a rewind trailer light connector system which is characterized by a first rewind trailer light connector located on the towing vehicle and a second rewind trailer light connector located on the trailer, which rewind trailer light connectors are fitted with a mating plug and receptacle, respectively, for interconnection when the trailer is attached to the vehicle and retraction to the respective rewind trailer light connector housings when the trailer is disconnected from the vehicle.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a rewind trailer light connector for attachement to the bumper, frame or trailer hitch of a towing vehicle and includes a split housing fitted with a lock to facilitate extension of a length of electrical wiring coiled in the housing and a plug or receptacle terminating the wiring, to a selected point, locking the wiring at this selected extension for coupling to a corresponding receptacle or plug attached to the wiring of a trailer when the trailer is coupled to the vehicle and retraction of the wiring into the housing and the plug or receptacle to the housing by manipulating the lock when the trailer is disconnected from the vehicle.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a rewind trailer light connector apparatus which is mounted to a trailer hitch secured to a vehicle and includes a housing fitted with a hub in the center for receiving the trailer hitch ball bolt and mounting the apparatus to the trailer hitch and further including a coil for automatically retracting a length of electrical wiring into the apparatus. The wiring can be extended against the bias of the spring attachment to corresponding wiring located in a trailer when the trailer is coupled to the trailer hitch ball.